Ash to receive Legend award at ceremony

Ash to receive Legend award at ceremony

27 July 2016

DOWNPATRICK rockers Ash are to be recognised for their contribution to the music industry at a homecoming live performance.

The trio are to receive a Legend award at the Mandela Hall in Belfast on November 11.

The Oh Yeah Legend Award recognises the exceptional contribution of a musician or a music industry figure from Northern Ireland.

After the presentation Ash will perform their debut album ‘1977’, which was released 20 years ago.

Formed at Down High School in 1992, Ash has secured major success with two number one albums in the UK plus 18 top 40 singles. Front man Tim Wheeler also won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Pop Song in 2001 for ‘Shining Light’. 

Their music has featured on numerous film soundtracks and video games and has\ sold over eight million records worldwide.

Charlotte Dryden, chief executive of the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast, said: “Ash have played a major part in the story of Northern Irish music and in the story of Oh Yeah too. “Our centre is named after the very song which features on their debut album, ‘1977’. 

“How brilliant to finally honour and celebrate the band with an Oh Yeah Legend Award. We can’t wait to hear this classic album performed live and in full on the 20th anniversary of its release. It is going to be a momentous evening.”

Ash are currently working in New York at their Atomic Heart Studios, writing new songs for a follow up to their 2015 album ‘Kablammo!’. Talking about the 1977 tour, Tim Wheeler said: “We’re as excited as we are in disbelief to announce the 20th anniversary tour of 1977. Some of these songs have grown with us throughout those years; others have the ability to transport us mentally and emotionally back to that crazy formative year of 1995 to 1996.”

Among the previous recipients of the Oh Yeah Legend Award are The Divine Comedy,Therapy?, The Undertones and Terri Hooley.

The Oh Yeah Legend presentation will be preceded by another award, the NI Music Prize, which will celebrate the very best of Northern Irish albums.

This will be decided by an academy of local media and industry professionals following live performances by several shortlisted acts at the Mandela Hall. 

The NI Music Prize is supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. This event is part of a wider programme, Sound of Belfast that will take place between November 4 and 12.

Tickets are available at eventbrite.com